2015 Ford F-150

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Ford F-150 has 2126 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 26.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (16% of all complaints), specifically: vehicle transmission slams or bangs when shifting from 4 to 5 gear. it also hangs in 4th gear when at speed that is near the speed required to shift up from 4th or 5th gear.. ⚠️ 15 fire reports filed.

15 fire reports 38 crash reports 36 injuries

2126

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

26.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

343 complaints

16%

• VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLAMS OR BANGS WHEN SHIFTING FROM 4 TO 5 GEAR. IT ALSO HANGS IN 4TH GEAR WHEN AT SPEED THAT IS NEAR THE SPEED REQUIRED TO SHIFT UP FROM 4TH OR 5TH GEAR.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE AND ABRUPTLY SWITCHED GEARS AS THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE R
• I HAVE BEEN HAVING AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH MY TRANSMISSION, WHERE IT SHIFTS ROUGH OR DOES NOT SHIFT APPROPRIATELY. WHEN THE TRUCK SHIFTS ROUGH, I BARELY HAVE MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, WHERE IT WILL SLAM INTO GEAR CAUSING THE TRUCK TO JOLT. I ALSO HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE TRUCK FAILING TO DOWNSHI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 6 crashes

“VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLAMS OR BANGS WHEN SHIFTING FROM 4 TO 5 GEAR. IT ALSO HANGS IN 4TH GEAR WHEN AT SPEED THAT IS NEAR THE SPEED REQUIRED TO SHIFT UP FROM 4TH OR 5TH GEAR.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

313 complaints

15%

• WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT IN THE FAR LEFT LANE GOING 72 MPH WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE TRUCK RANDOMLY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND THE RED CRASH INDICATOR FLASHED ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NOTHING IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK. IF SOMEONE WAS BEHIND ME, IT IS LIKELY THEY WOULD HAVE REAR ENDED MY VEHICLE. T
• AS I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND CAME TO FIRST STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS BAD.
• THE TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL AND COLLISION ALERT SYSTEMS. INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN TRAVELING AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AND PASSING TRACTOR-TRAILER SIZED VEHICLES, THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WILL FALSELY SENSE ANOTHER VEHICLE DIRECTLY IN FRONT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 11 crashes

“WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT IN THE FAR LEFT LANE GOING 72 MPH WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE TRUCK RANDOMLY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND THE RED CRASH INDICATOR FLASHED ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NOTHING IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK. IF SOMEONE WAS BEHIND ME, IT IS LIKELY THEY WOULD HAVE REAR ENDED MY VEHICLE. T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

276 complaints

13%

• AFTER MORNING STARTUP, VEHICLE STUMBLED, HESITATED ON ACCELERATION INTO TRAFFIC. VEHICLE STALLED AFTER APPROXIMATELY DRIVING 1 MILE. WOULD RE-START, ONLY IDLE, THEN STALL WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE AND ATTEMPTED TO RE-ENTER TRAFFIC. I HAD TOWED TO CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS. MY VEHICLE WA
• TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. AT 3022 MILES THE ENGINE CUT OFF WHILE AT 40-50MPH. A SMART DATA LINK WAS REPLACED. AT 3619 MILES THE ENGINE CUT OFF AGAIN WHILE ACCELERATING AT 40-50 MPH. BOTH INCIDENTS HAPPENED WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF STARTING THE ENGINE. SEVERAL ALERTS POP UP ON THE SCREEN TO INCLU
• THIS VEHICLE HAS THE 'STOP/START FEATURE;' WHICH ACTUALLY SHUTS OFF THE ENGINE WHEN AT A STOP AND IS SUPPOSED TO 'RESTART' WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED; THE 'ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS' ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OPERATIVE; HOW POWER BRAKES ARE 'ELECTRICALLY OPERATED' IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION; HOWEVER, A FEW D

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“AFTER MORNING STARTUP, VEHICLE STUMBLED, HESITATED ON ACCELERATION INTO TRAFFIC. VEHICLE STALLED AFTER APPROXIMATELY DRIVING 1 MILE. WOULD RE-START, ONLY IDLE, THEN STALL WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE AND ATTEMPTED TO RE-ENTER TRAFFIC. I HAD TOWED TO CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS. MY VEHICLE WA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

207 complaints

10%

• 2015 FORD F-150 MANUAL ON PAGE 263 HAS INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER SETUP OF AN EQUALIZING HITCH FOR TOWING A TRAILER. THE INSTRUCTIONS CALL FOR RETURN OF THE FRONT FENDER HEIGHT 25% OF THE WAY FROM HEIGHT WHEN LOADED WITH TRAILER TO HEIGHT WITH NO TRAILER. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF TH
• WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT IN THE FAR LEFT LANE GOING 72 MPH WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE TRUCK RANDOMLY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND THE RED CRASH INDICATOR FLASHED ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NOTHING IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK. IF SOMEONE WAS BEHIND ME, IT IS LIKELY THEY WOULD HAVE REAR ENDED MY VEHICLE. T
• ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET AND ENGAGED ON VEHICLE AT 75 MPH. MY VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON INSIDE LANE OF FOUR LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY AND CAME UP ON SLIGHTLY SLOWER VEHICLE TRAVELING IN THE SAME LANE AT AROUND 70 MPH. MY VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND TRACKED THE OTHER VEHICLE FOR ABOUT A MILE BEFORE CO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“2015 FORD F-150 MANUAL ON PAGE 263 HAS INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER SETUP OF AN EQUALIZING HITCH FOR TOWING A TRAILER. THE INSTRUCTIONS CALL FOR RETURN OF THE FRONT FENDER HEIGHT 25% OF THE WAY FROM HEIGHT WHEN LOADED WITH TRAILER TO HEIGHT WITH NO TRAILER. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

162 complaints

• FRONT SEAT BACK COOLING SYSTEM (TED) IS MALFUNCTIONING. WHEN SEAT COOLING IS SELECTED, AFTER 30 MINUETS, THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEATS REACH EXTREME TEMPERATURES, RESULTING IN BURNING EVERYONE THAT TOUCHES THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEATS. I'VE MEASURE THE TEMPERATURES, AT THE TOP OF THE MAP POCKET, AT
• FRONT SEAT BACK COOLING SYSTEM (TED) IS MALFUNCTIONING. WHEN SEAT COOLING IS SELECTED, AFTER 30 MINUETS, THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEATS REACH EXTREME TEMPERATURES, RESULTING IN BURNING EVERYONE THAT TOUCHES THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEATS. I'VE MEASURE THE TEMPERATURES, AT THE TOP OF THE MAP POCKET, AT O
• FRONT SEAT BACK COOLING SYSTEM (TED) IS MALFUNCTIONING. WHEN SEAT COOLING IS SELECTED, AFTER 30 MINUETS, THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEATS REACH EXTREME TEMPERATURES, RESULTING IN BURNING EVERYONE THAT TOUCHES THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEATS. I'VE MEASURE THE TEMPERATURES, AT THE TOP OF THE MAP POCKET, AT OVE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“FRONT SEAT BACK COOLING SYSTEM (TED) IS MALFUNCTIONING. WHEN SEAT COOLING IS SELECTED, AFTER 30 MINUETS, THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEATS REACH EXTREME TEMPERATURES, RESULTING IN BURNING EVERYONE THAT TOUCHES THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEATS. I'VE MEASURE THE TEMPERATURES, AT THE TOP OF THE MAP POCKET, AT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 2126 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLAMS OR BANGS WHEN SHIFTING FROM 4 TO 5 GEAR. IT ALSO HANGS IN 4TH GEAR WHEN AT SPEED THAT IS NEAR THE SPEED REQUIRED TO SHIFT UP FROM 4TH OR 5TH GEAR.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT IN THE FAR LEFT LANE GOING 72 MPH WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE TRUCK RANDOMLY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND THE RED CRASH INDICATOR FLASHED ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NOTHING IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK. IF SOMEONE WAS BEHIND ME, IT IS LIKELY THEY WOULD HAVE REAR ENDED MY VEHICLE. T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: AFTER MORNING STARTUP, VEHICLE STUMBLED, HESITATED ON ACCELERATION INTO TRAFFIC. VEHICLE STALLED AFTER APPROXIMATELY DRIVING 1 MILE. WOULD RE-START, ONLY IDLE, THEN STALL WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE AND ATTEMPTED TO RE-ENTER TRAFFIC. I HAD TOWED TO CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS. MY VEHICLE WA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: 2015 FORD F-150 MANUAL ON PAGE 263 HAS INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER SETUP OF AN EQUALIZING HITCH FOR TOWING A TRAILER. THE INSTRUCTIONS CALL FOR RETURN OF THE FRONT FENDER HEIGHT 25% OF THE WAY FROM HEIGHT WHEN LOADED WITH TRAILER TO HEIGHT WITH NO TRAILER. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)